Oil cooler



Filed July 2, 194i 2 Sheeizswheet 5E Patented Apr. 22, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OIL COOLER John Ralph Holmes and John A. Winter, Lockport, and Irving M. Schultz, North Tonawanda, N. Y., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application July 2, 1941, Serial No.l 400,792

4 Claims.

This invention relates to heat exchangers and, particularly, to temperature regulators for the lubricant of internal combustion engines hereinaiter called oil coolers.

To increase the eciency of the transfer of heat between the oil and the oil temperature regulating uid, there have been provided in oil coolers bales to cause the oil to follow a circuitous instead of a direct path through the oil passages in the cores of the coolers. To thaw out oil congealed in the oil passages in the cores of oil coolers there have been provided in the coolers less restrictive oil passages in heat exchanging relation to the oil passages in the cores.

In the oil coolers found in the prior art the thawing out passages were generally formed as jackets which encircled or partly encircled the cores of the coolers and, consequently, only very slowly thawed out the oil in the centers of the cores and the baffles were formed as separate structural elements. This invention resides in an oil cooler in which the bailies are made to serve also as thawing out passages with the result that the thawing out passages function more eflicientlyl because of their more advantageous location and the weight bulk and cost of the cooler is reduced.

For a better understanding of the nature and objects of this invention, reference is made to the following speciflcation and the accompanying drawing in which is described and illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an end elevation with parts broken away and in section of an oil cooler and valve assembly in which is included an oil cooler in accordance with our invention.-

Figures 1A and 1B are incomplete diagrammatic illustrations of the valve. Figure 1A shows the valve with parts in a position to direct the iiow of oil through the warm oil path throughthe oil cooler. Figure 1B shows the valve with parts in a position to direct the oil through the hot oil path through the oil cooler.

Figure 2 is aside elevation of the` oil cooler with parts broken away and in section,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the members of which the baies included in the oil cooler are made.

Figure e is an enlarged fragmentary view of A. ing includes a core which consists of several sec' tions II made up of hex-ended tubes I2 disthe oil cooler taken as indicated by the line 4--4 y of Figure 1.

Figures 5 and 6 are fragmentary sections on the same scale as Figure 4 taken as indicated by the lines 5-5 and 6 6, respectively, of Figure 3 through one'lfof the bales included in the oil cooler.

-The oil cooler I0 which is shown in the draw` posed within a cylindrical shell I3 with their axes extending parallel to the axis of the shell. The

shell I3 is, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, except at its extreme ends, encircled by a cylindrical shell I4 with inturned anges I5 on its ends which engage and are bonded to the outer surface of the shell I3.

Between the sections of the core are disposed bailies I6. Each baffle consists of a pair of platelike members I'I with flanges I 8 on their sides and on their ends near their sides nested1 one within the other and bonded together to form a at duct. The ducts defined by the bailles I6 communicate at both ends with the space between the shells I3 and I4 through slots I9 in the former. The baiiles are secured to the shell I 3 by means of tongues 20 which extend through the slots I9 and are bent over against and bonded to the outer surface of the shell I3. To prevent spread or collapse of the baiiies IE and also to cause the oil to swirl instead of iiow smoothly` through the ducts dened by the baffles there are formed on the opposed sides of the plates I1 embossments 2| which abutagainst and are bonded one to another. 'Registering openings in the plates I'I and ilanges which encircle them and are nested one within the other and bonded together define passages 22 through which oil may pass from the oil passages 32 between the tubes of which one section II of the core is made to the oil passages between the tubes of which the next section II of the core is made.

To the shell I4 laterally opposite one of the outside bailies I6 there is secured a mounting pad 23. A rib 24 on the underside of the mounting pad and a baille 25 laterally opposite the other of the outside baies I6 bridge the space between the shells I3 and I4 and divide it into two compartments, 26 and 21, which do not intercommunicate except through the ducts defined by the baiiles. Through the pad 23 there extend elongated openings 28 through which oil may enter the compartment 26 and elongated openings 29 through which oil may leave the compartment 2l. Through the shell I3 laterally opposite the baie I6 which is nearest the baille 25 there extend openings 30 through which oil may pass from the -compartment 26 into the oil passages 32 between the tubes I2 of which the core II is made. Through the rib 24 on the l 3 mounting pad 23 there extend elongated open` ings 3| through which oil may leave the oil passages between the tubes of which the core is made.

The baiiles i6, of course, extend the full length of the oil passages between the tubes |2.of which the core is made and, consequently, oil cannot pass from one section of the core to another except by way of the passages 22 through the baffles. It is to be noted that the passages 22 extend through one baille near one end and through the next baffle near the opposite end and that the openings 30 and 3| open into the sections of the core with which they communicate near the ends distant from the passage 22 through the nearest baiiie.

Oil which enters the cooler I through the openings 28 may leave it either through the openings 29 or the openings 3|. The path from'the openings 28 to the openings 3|, hereinafter referred to as the hot oil path, which is indicated in Figure 1 of the drawing by the dash line arrows, is through the compartment 26, the openings 30 and the oil passages 32 between the tubes of which the core is made and the passages 22 through'the baffles IB between the sec'- tions of the core. The path from the openings 28 to the openings 29, hereinafter referred to as the warm oil path, which is indicated in Figure l of the drawing by the solid line arrows, is through the compartment 26, the ducts defined by the baflies I6 and the compartment 21.

In the course of its passage through the oil passages 32 between the tubes of which the core is made on its way from the openings 28 to the openings 3| the oil is, of course, cooled by the air which passes through the tubes. The circuitous path which the bales I6 and the locato the outlet fitting without passing through. the cooler and is, consequently, warmed up as rapidly as possible; when the oil is warm it passes from the inlet port .to the outlet fitting through the 'cooler by wayY of the warm oil path described above, and thaws out the, oil congealed in the passages 32 between the tubes I2 of which the core I| is made; and when the oil is hot it passes from the inlet port to the outlet tting through the cooler by way of the hot oil path described above and is cooled by the air passing through the tubes I2. Thus the oil is brought up to its optimum temperature as promptly as possible and kept from exceeding this temperature under all conditions of operation of the engine. But, of course, other types of valves, e. g., a valve designed so that the oil passes through the cooler by way of the warm oil path when the oil is cold as well as when it is warm, may be employed with oil coolers of the type herein disclosed.

We claim:

1. In a heat exchanger, a core which includes a plurality of sections through which fluid is constrained to pass successively in heat exchanging relation to another iiuid, adouble walled shell which encircles the core and whose interspace is divided circumferentially into a compartment through which the second mentioned fluid may enter the vheat exchanger in heat exchanging relation to the second mentioned fluid in the core and a compartment through which the second mentioned fluid may leave the heat exchanger in tion of the openings and 3| and the passages 22 constrain the oil to follow on its Way through the core, of course, raises the ei`n`ciency of the transfer of heat from the oil to the air. In the course of its passage through the compartment 26, the ducts dened by the bafles I6 and the compartment 21 on its way from the opening 28 to the openings 29 warm oil transfers heat to and thaws out oil congealed in the oil passages 32 between the tubes of which the core is made. The efficiency of the ducts dened by the bales I6 in thawing out oil congealed in the oil passages 32 is, of course, increased by reason of the extension of the ducts into the interior of the core.

The oil passages 32 between the tubes l2 of which the core is made are, of course, of the dimensions and form requisite to very eiective extraction of heat from the oil by the air passing through the tubes |2 and, therefore, very resistive to the passage of oil when it is cold and thick. The ducts ldeilned by the bailies are of dimensions and form effectively to transmit heat from oil traveling therethrough to oil in the oil 'passages 32 but less resistive to the passage of oil than the passages 32.

The oil cooler Ill was designed for use in con- I junction with the Valve 33 mounted on the pad 23, which ls the subject of the Nemmer and OBrien application Serial No. 396,830, led June 6, 1941. The valve 33 includes a body 3|!v with an inlet port 35 and an outlet fitting 3B. The oil cooler and valve assembly were designed to be installed in the lubricating system of an internal `combustion engine so that oil enters the'valve lthrough the inlet port 35 and leaves it through the outlet fitting 36. 'Ihe valve is so designed that when the oil is cold it passes from the inlet port heat exchanging relation to the second mentioned fluid in the core, hollow members of which each opens at one end into the iirst mentioned compartment and at the other end into the second mentioned compartment so that the second mentioned uid may pass through them in parallel from the first mentioned compartment to the second mentioned compartment in heat exchanging relation to the second mentioned fluid in the core extending through the core between the sections of the core, an opening through which the second mentioned uid may enter one section of the core from the first mentioned compartment without passing through the hollow members, an opening through which the second mentioned uid may leave another section of the core, and openings through which the second mentioned fluid may pass through the hollowmembers from the first mentioned section of the core to the last mentioned section of the core, the mentioned openings being so disposed that the second mentioned fluid follows a circuitous instead of a direct path through the core. Y

`2. In a. heat exchanger, a'core through which fluid may pass in heat exchanging relation to 'another fluid, hollow members through which fluid may pass in parallel in heat exchanging relation to the second mentioned uid in the to the second mentioned fluid in the core, and a header into which open the second mentioned openings through which fluid may be conducted .from the hollow members in heat exchanging relation to the second mentioned fluid in the core.

3. In a heat exchanger, a core which includes a plurality of sections through which fluid is constrained to pass successively in heat exchanging relation to another fluid, a double-walled shell which encircles the core and whose interspace is divided circumferentially into a compartment through which the second mentioned fluid may enter the heat exchanger in heat exchanging relation to the second mentioned fluid in the core and a compartment through which the second mentioned iluid may leave the heat exchanger in heat exchanging relation to the second mentioned fluid in the core, hollow members of which each opens at one end into the rst mentioned compartment and at the other end into the second mentioned compartment so thatthe .second mentioned fluid may pass throughthem in parallel from the rst mentioned compartment to the second mentioned compartment in heat exchanging relation to the second mentioned fluid in the core extending throughv the core between the sections of the core, an opening through which the second mentioned uid may enter one section of the core from one of the mentioned compartments, an opening through which the second mentioned iluid may leave another section of the core, and openings through which the second mentioned fluid may pass through the hollow members from the first mentioned section oi the` core to the last mentioned section ofthe core. the mentioned openings being so disposed that the second mentioned fluid follows a circuitous instead of a direct path through the core.v

4. In a heat exchanger, a core which includes a plurality of sections through which fluid is constrained to pass successively in heat exchanging relation to anotherfluid, a double walled shell 4 6 tioned fluid may leave Ath'.J heat exchanger in heat exchanging relation to the second mentioned fluid in the core, hollow memlbersoi which each opens l at one end into the flr mentioned compartment o and at the other end into the second mentioned compartment so that the. second mentioned fluid may pass through them in parallel'from the first mentioned compartment into ythe second mentioned compartment in heat' exchanging relation to the second mentioned fluid in the core extend- `ing through the core between the sections of the core and so disposed that the second mentioned iluid follows a circuitous instead of a direct path through the core, an' opening through which the second mentioned fluid may enter one section of the core from one of the mentioned comparte ments, and an opening through which the second which encircles the core and whose interspace is divided circumferentlally into a compartment through which the second mentioned fluid may enter the heat exchanger in heat exchanging relation to the second mentioned iluid in the core and a compartment through which the second menmentioned fluid may leave another section of the core.

- JOHN RALPH HOLMES.

JOHN A. WINTER.. IRVING-M. SCHULTZ.

REFERENCES orrEn 'The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

, UNITED s TA'rEs PA'IENTS Number 

